Bowling machine elevator for separating pins and balls



J. JANES Dec. 15, 1959 BOWLING MACHINE ELEVATOR FOR SEPARATING PINS AND BALLS Dec. 15, 1959 J. JANEs 2,917,309

BOWLING MACHINE ELEVATOR FOR SEPARATING PINS AND BALLS Filed Dec. l5, 1954 $7 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l: e5 .9

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BOWLING MACHINE ELEVATOR FOR SEPARTING PINS AND BALLS Dec. 15, 1959 Filed Dec. 15, 1954 7 Sheets-$heet 3 Joscp Janes, by Zic f Dec. 15, 1959 J. JANES 2,917,309

BOWLING MACHINE ELEVATOR FOR SEPARATING PINS AND BALLS Filed Dec. 15, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.

J. JANES Dec; 1.5, 1959 BOWLING MACHINE ELEVATOR FOR SEPARATING PINS AND BALLS 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 15, 1954 Janes, SMM

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BOWLING MACHINE ELEVATOR FOR SEPARATING PINS AND BALLS Filed Dec. 15, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 z\ \O Q @n N x.. D [Q va J.

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BOWLING MACHINE ELEVATOR FOR SEPARATING PINS AND BALLS Filed Dec. 15, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 /43 zo 2f dw] 2O 2| Inveazlor:

Joseph Janes,

' U40rney5 United sans Patent o BOWLING MACHINE ELEVATOR FOR SEPARAT- ING PINS AND BALLS Joseph Janes, Arlington, Mass., assignor to Bowling Machines, Inc., Waltham, Mass., a corporation 'of Massaychusetts Application December 15, 1954, Serial No. 475,549

7 Claims. (Cl. 273-43) The present invention is a machine for setting bowling pins on a bowling alley in a predetermined pattern. The machine is particularly adapted for use in connection with the bowling game called candle pins. This game is played in units called frames in which ten pins are set up in a pattern in the alley anda player is allowed to roll three balls to try to knock them down. After a player has knocked down all the pins or after he has thrown three balls, the pins are set up again for another player. The pins knocked down by each ball are left where they fall on the floor of the alley until all of the pins are knocked down, or until three balls have been thrown. The rules of the game require that pins knocked into the gutters, which are at the sides of the oor of the alley, be removed after each ball is thrown.

This invention pertains more particularly to an elevator for automatically delivering the balls and pins, which are swept into a pit at the rear of the alley, to separated outlets, one disposed intermediate the ends of an upwardly extending portion of the elevator through which the balls are returned to the head of the alley, and the other at the top of the elevator where the pins are transferred to a magazine and thence to the pin setting mechanism herein'disclosed. The sweeper mechanism, the magazine and the pin setting mechanism, illustrated and described herein are not essential parts of the present invention.

The principal purpose of this invention is to. provide simple and effective automatic means for transferring the' pins and balls from the alley pit to the aforesaid outlets by means of an endless conveyor which operates continuously during the transfer operation.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description `and. accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the machine of the present invention illustrated in connection with a bowling alley which is shown partly in section and partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the solenoid air valve which is used in the machine of Fig. l and showing the valve partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section along the line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5--5 of Fig. 4 slightly enlarged;

Fig. 6 is a section along the line 6 6 of Figs. 4 and 7, being slightly enlarged with respect to the scale of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an end elevation, slightly enlarged, vertically through a portion of the elevator mechanism at the lower end of the upward run of the elevator shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a section along the line 8-8 of Fig. 4, slightly enlarged;

Fig. 9 is a section along the line 9 9 of Fig. 13;

Fig. l0 is a section in end elevation taken diagonally through a portion of the machine to show a section taken at right angles through the magazine loading mechanism and through part of the magazine belt which are in slanted position in the machine;

Fig. 11 is a section along the line 11-11 of Fig. 10;

Fig. l2'is a section along the line 12-12 of Fig. 10, partly broken away;

Fig. 13 is a section along the line 13-13 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the counter balance and drive mechanism for the box element of the machine of Fig. l and looking in the same direction as in Fig. l;

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of a section through the box element partially broken away and showing a typical chute inside the box; and

Fig. 16 is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuits in the machine of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, rst to Fig. l, the machine of the present invention is adapted for use in connection with a bowling alley 11. First it clears bowling pins 12 and bowling balls 13 from a floor 14 of the alley and from gutters 15 at the sides of the floor after a frame has been played. Then it sets pins up on the oor 14 in a predetermined pattern ready for the next frame. In its operation the machine separates the balls from the pins and returns the balls to a rack 16 at the end of a ball return chute 17.

The machine comp-rises generally a sweeper A which sweeps pins 12 and balls 13 off the end of the iloor 14 and out the end of the gutters 15, a conveyor system B onto which the balls and pins are swept by the sweeper A,

. an elevator C which receives the pins and balls from the conveyor system B and deposits the balls in the ball return chute 17 and carries the pins to a feed mechanism D, a magazine E (Figs. 9 and 10) into which the pins are loaded by the feed mechanism D, and a box F which receives pins from the magazine E and sets them up on the floor 14.

The sweeper A which is at the front end of the machine comprises a pair of arms 20, mountedrto swing down toward the iloor 14 on a shaft 21 attached across the pair of arms near one end and pivotally mounted on a projection 22a depending from a frame member 22 at the top of the frame of the machine. Across the other end of the pair of arms is attached a blade 23 which is carried arcuately down and along the end portion of the floor when the arms 20 are swung down from the full line position shown in Fig. 1 to the position indicated in dash line at 20a and 23a. As shown in Fig. 3, the width of the blade 23 extends across the floor 14 and over the gutters 15, and bottom edges of the blade which are over the gutters extend down as indicated at 24 so as to extend down into the gutters when the blade 23 swings down to the floor 14. Conveyor belts 27 which are part of the conveyor system B extend along the `gutters to the ends and rollers 25 attached to the bottom edges of the portions 24 of the blade contact and roll along the conveyor belts 27 when the blade is swung down.

As indicated by the arcuate dash lines 26 the sweeper A swings down to the floor in front of the end portion of the floor on which the pins are set and sweeps pins and balls oit the end of the floor and out of the gutters 15.

frame of the machine. A rod 30 connected to the pistonv inside the cylinder 28 extends out of the cylinder and is pivotally connected at its outward end to a boss 31 depending from a cross bar 32 on the arms 20 of the sweeper.

The sweeper A is moved to the raised position shown in full lines in Fig. l and held there by air pressure applied through a hose 33 connected to the rear ofthe cylinder 28. To swing the sweeper to the position indicated in the dash lines, the solenoid valve 29 is operated.:

to release the pressure in the hose 33 and direct air Patented Dec. 15, 1959f pressure through a hose 34 connected to the forward end of the cylinder 28.

Looking at Fig. 2, the solenoid valve 29 is a common type in which a valve 35 is slid in a body 36 by electromagnets 3S and 39 .to connect one of the hoses 33 or 34 with a hose 37 from a source of air under pressure (not shown). AWhen the pressure is applied to the hose 33, pressurejin the-hose 34is released through a vent 41 inthe body 36, and, when the pressure is applied to the hose 34, the pressure in the hose 33 is released through a vent 42.

When the sweeperA is at rest in its upward position, the sliding valve 35 will be at the right within the body 3,6, .thereby vconnecting the air under pressure from the hose 37 to the hose 33. To operate the sweeper, a starting pushbutton 46 (normally open) is pressed. This momentarily .closes an electric circuit which energizes the electro-magnet 38 which moves the sliding'valve 35 to the left'.v in `this position of the valve air pressure is applied through the hose 34 andy moves the rod 3i) and piston into the cylinder thereby drawing the sweeper down.

When thel sweeper reaches its downward position, a cani 43 on the shaft 21 (Figs. 3 and 16) engages a normally openmicro-switch 44 and closes it momentarily to close an electric circuit which energizes the electromagnet 39. The energized electro-magnet 39 pulls the sliding valve 35 to the right, shifting the air pressure to the hosel 33 and thereby reversing movement of the sweeper and swinging it back up to its normally raised position. The air under pressure is supplied by a conventional ltype -air compressor in which a motor operates a pump automatically to maintain a constant pressure, and pressure maintained in the hose 33 holds the sweeper in raised position.

The sweeper A sweeps the pins 12 and balls 13 from the iloor 14 and gutters 15 onto a conveyor belt 46 of the conveyor system B, which operates to carry the pins and balls to the elevator C. The conveyor belt 46 is carried on rolls 47 and 48. The roll 47 is attached on a shaft ,S6 and the belt 4.6 is driven by a train of gears 4,9 which drivingly connect the shaft 59 with a shaft 51. The shaft 51 is part of the elevator C and is driven by a motor 52 hereafter referred to as the elevator motor 52, through connections subsequently to be described.

The conveyor belts 27, which are in the gutters 15, travel around rolls 53, over rolls 54 and 55 which support them at the end of the gutters, and then around the ends of the roller 4S which extends out to both sides of the conveyor belt 46. The roll 43 thus drives the conveyor belts 27 when the conveyor belt 46 is driven.

yReferring now to Figs. 4. and 5, the elevator C comprises a pair of endless flexible chains 56u and 56h spaced apart in parallel side-by-side relation at the back of the machine. The chains travel across the end of the machine around sprockets 57, along a horizontal run 58, under sprockets 59, up an inc-lined run 60, under sprockets 61, up a vertical run 62, and around sprockets 63 attached on a shaft 74 near the top of the machine. The chains return around sprockets 64 on the shaft 51 and back to the sprockets 57.

A s indicated in Fig. 5, the chains 56a and 56h are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of a bowling ball 13. A bowling ball 13 is larger in diameter than the bowling pins 12. Thus, pins 12 arranged lengthwise of the chains and balls 13 will be received between the chains. A plurality of bars 67 are attached across the chains at intervals greater than the length of e pin 12 and form ladder-like steps in which balls and pins are received and carried along as the chains are moved. A wall 68 extends along parallel to the chains and is spaced under the runs S, 6l) and 62 of the chains to support balls and pins between the chains and the bars 67.

The top portion of the conveyor belt 46 is slightly above the level of the horizontal run 58 of the chains and a ramp 69 extends from the rearward end of the top portion of the conveyor belt 46 down to the horizontal run 53 of the chain 56a (Fig. 5). Across the back of the machine adjacent the horizontal run 58 of the chain 56h is a vertical wall 79 which forms a back stop for pins and balls delivered to the chains by the conveyor belt 46. When the pins and balls are carried by the conveyor belt 46 to the ramp 69 they slide down onto the chains where they are received in the pockets formed by the chains and the bars 67. The balls 13 'tall between the chains without any difticulty. lf. some of the pins fall across the chains the movement of the chains and bars 67 quickly shakes them into lengthwise alignment to fall between the chains.

'I he top and bottom halves of the candle pins 12 which are set up by the machine of the present invention are the same shape, so that the end-for-end position of the pins in the elevator C is not important in the operation of the machine.

Looking at Figs. l, 3 and S, the chains are driven by the elevator motor 52 through a belt 71, around a pulley 72 on the niotor and around a pulley 73 attached on the shaft '74 kon which are mounted the sprockets 63 around which the chains pass. The chains passing around and rotating the sprockets 64 on the shaft 51 near the bottom of the machine thus drive the conveyor belt 46 when the chains are driven.

The chains are driven so as to move rst across the horizontal run 5S, .up the inclined run 6@ and then up the vertical run 62. Referring to Figs. 4 and 7, at the base of the vertical run 62 is a pair of rollers 76 carried on a support 77 which is resiliently urged toward the chains by a spring hinge 7S, as shown in Figs. 4, 6 and 7. The spring hinge 78 is attached to members 79 on the frame of the machine. As the chains carry the pins and balls to the top of the inclined run 69 and start up the vertical run 62, the rollers 76 bear against a ball or a pin which is carried between the chains by one of the bars 67 and hold it between the chains on a bar 67 and against the wall 63 as the chains change direction and move upward.

Above the rollers 76 and at intervals along the vertical run 62, are resilient L-shaped flaps 2? which are resiliently mounted on the members 79 by spring hinges S1. The Si) are thereby urged toward lthe chains and support balls and pins on the bars 67 and against the wall 68 as the balls and pins are carried up the vertical run 62.

The rollers 76 and the ilaps 36, spring in and out as ecessary to provide support for balls or for pins, which have a smaller diameter than the balls.

Resilient aps Si) are located at intervals along approximately the lower half of the vertical run 62 of the chains. A flap 83 is spaced above the topmost ap 80 to leave an opening 84 which is large enough for a ball 13 to pass through. The flap S3 which is resiliently mounted on frame members 18 by a spring hinge 88 extends up beside the remainder of the vertical run 62 to a point slightly below the shaft 74 on which the sprockets 63 are mounted. A chute S5 extending from the opening 84 slopes down and connects with the ball-return chute 17.

As seen in Fig. 7, the chains and the wall 68 are close enough together so that a ball 13 supported on a bar 67 and against the wall 68 is over-balanced away from the wall. Thus, as a ball is carried up to the opening S4, it falls out into the chute 65, and rolls into the ball-return chute and back to the rack i6. Pins 3.2 cannot fall through the opening.

Pins 12 carried up on the bars 67 by the chains are carried in vertical position and are longer than the diameter of the opening 34. As a pin is carried up its bottom end is supported by the uppermost flap 86 until its top end moves above the hole 84, so that it cannot fall through. The pin is then carried up between the flap 83 and the wall 6,8 .to the top of the run 62 of the chains.

When a pin 12 is carried up toward the. sprockets 63,

flect the upper end of the pin to the left and directs the upper end of the pin up through a guiding support 87 (Fig. 3) which is disposed above and to the left of the top o-f the vertical run 62, and which comprises three rollers 87a, 87b and 87C with the roller 87a parallel to the face of the spring 86 and the rollers 87b and 87C extending at right angles from the ends of the roller 87a,-

as show n in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

As the bottom end of the pin 12 is carried up past the top of the ap 83, the upper end of the pin is supported by the support 87 and the spring 86 is bearing against the pin. When the bottom end of the pin is carried above the ap 83 by one of the bars 67, the pressure of the spring 86, which bears against the pin below its midpoint, pushes the bottom end of the pin off the bar and over the top of the ap 83, and the pin drops down into Va trough 90 which is below the support 87. Another leaf spring 89 which operates at right angles to the spring 86 extends above the support 87. The spring 89 is provided to push the top end of a pin which is through the frame, toward the rear of the machine to be sure that the pin is knocked oif balance so as to drop into the trough 90 and drop in the correct position.

The trough 90 which is part of the feed mechanism D, which feeds the pins into the magazine E, slopes down toward the front of the machine.

Referring now to Figs. 9, and 1l, one side of the lower end of the trough 90 is a trap door 91 which is pivotally mounted on a shaft 92 to open the bottom of the trough. The trap door is urged to closed position by a spring 93 attached to the trap door and to an upright 94 of the frame of the machine. Below the trap door 91 a shaft 95 is mounted on a support member 19 and a pair of arms 96 are pivotally mounted on the shaft. A pair of ratchet wheels 97 are also mounted on the shaft and are mounted to rotate on shaft 95 independently of the movement of the arms 96. Pawls 98 which engage the ratchet wheels 97 are pivotally mounted on the arms 96 but are normally held out of engagement by springs 99 which are attached to the end of the pawls 98 and to the arms 96.

A chain 100 from the end of one of the arms 96 is attached to the trap door 91 and when the arms are pivoted from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the position shown in Fig. 10 the trap door is pulled open against the tension of the spring 93. The arms 96 are pivoted back and forth to these positions by connections from the elevator motor 52 to a rod 101, the lower end of which is curved down and pivo-tally attached to a bridge member 102 across the ends of the arms 96.

As shown in Fig. 4, the upper end of the rod 101 is pivotally. connected to a crank arm 102 attached on a shaft 103. The shaft 103 is rotated by a sprocket 104 which is attached on the shaft and which is driven by a chain 105 around the sprocket 104 and around a sprocket 106 on the shaft 74. As previously described, the shaft 74 is driven by the belt 71 from the elevator motor 52. The crank arm 102 thus reciprocates the rod 101 to swing the arms 96 and open and close the trap door 91 in timed relation with the operation of the elevator C.

vAttached on the pawls 98, as extensions of the pawls, are cradle members 107 having concave portions 107a extending over the ratchet wheels 97 and under the opening of the trap door 91. When the trap door is opened a pin inv thetrough 90 is dropped through and received in the concaveportions of the cradle members. The springs 99 which normally hold the pawls 98 disengaged from 6 V the ratchet wheels 97 are suiciently light as to stretch under the weight of a pin. Thus a pin resting on the cradle members 107 pushes the pawls 98 down and causes them to engage the ratchet wheels 97.

Attached concentric to the ratchet wheels 97 are sprockets 108 and chains 109 around the sprockets 108 pass around sprockets 110 which are on the ends of a shaft 111. The shaft 111 which is part of the magazine E is thus driven from the ratchet wheels 97 of the feed mechanism and is part of the means by which the feed mechanism loads pins onto the magazine. The operation of the feed mechanism will be described below, following a description of the structure of the magazine.

Looking at Fig. 9, the magazine E is essentially an endless, movable web carrying stalls 117 in which pins from the feed mechanism D are received. The web is formed by a pair of parallel endless chains 113 which pass around sprockets 112 and around sprockets 114. The sprockets 112 are attached on the shaft 111 and the sprockets 114 are attached on a shaft 115. Both shafts 111 and 115 are rotatably supported on the frame of the machine.

The stalls 117 are formed by outwardly extending members 116 attached across the chains 113 at intervals around the chains.

The magazine E is mounted so that the movement of the chains 113 brings successive stalls 117 around the sprocket 112 at the left end of the magazine (as seen in Figs. 9 and 10), which is under the cradle members 107 of the pawls 98. The stalls 117 are shorter than the distance between the cradle members 107 and pass between them to receive pins from them. From the left end of the magazine. the loaded stalls 117 are moved along the top run of the chains 113. As indicated in Figs. 1 and 1l, the magazine extends crosswise in the machine. It is canted down toward the front of the machine and the lower ends of pins in the stalls 117 rest against a rear l wall 120 of the box F which thus holds the pins in the stalls.

In operation the elevator motor 52 drives the feed mechanism D by reciprocating the rod 101 and the operation of the ratchet wheels 97 of the feed mechanism loads pins into the stalls 117 and moves the loaded stalls tothe right in Figs. 9 and l0.

When the arms 96 are swung down to the position shown in Fig. 10 by the movement of the rod 101, the trap door 91 is pulled open. If a pin is in the trough 90 it drops through theopen trap door onto the cradle members 107 of the pawls 98 which are thereby pushed down toward the ratchet wheels 97. Then, as the rod 101 pulls the arms 96 upward again, toward the position indicated in Fig. 9, the pawls 98 engage the ratchet wheels 97 and rotate the ratchet wheels and attached sprockets 108. Rotation of the sprockets 108 rotates the shaft 111 through the chains 109 and the sprockets 112 on the shaft 111 moves the chains 113 of the magazine so that one of the stalls 117 moves up under the cradle members 107. At the same time the upward movement of the arms 96 tips the cradle members 107 down to the right so that a pin on the cradle member is let down into the stall 117 moving around the sprockets 112.-

The size relationship of the sprockets 108 and the sprockets 110, and the construction of the ratchet wheels 9,7, are such that one stall 117 is carried past the cradle members 107 each time the pawls 98 engage and rotate the ratchet wheels 97.

During downward movement of the arms 96, the pawls 98 are drawn back across the ratchet wheels 97 to the position in which they can engage and rotate the ratchet wheels during a subsequent upward movement of the arms. The trap door 91 is pulled open during the downward movement of the arms and is permitted to close again under the tension of the spring 93 when the arms move up again.

If no pin is in the trough 96 when the trap door 91 opens, the springs 99 hold the Apawls 98 -up so that they do not engage and rotate the ratchet wheels 97 as the arms 96 move up. r-l`hus a stall 117 will not be moved pastthe feed mechanism D unless a pin is deposited in the stall. 1n this way each successive stall along the top of the magazine is always filled and there is no chance that too few pins will be set up on the floor 14.

As illustrated in the drawings, the top run of the chains 113, which is the storage portion of the magazine, is provided with ten stalls for ten pins. This is the number of pins normally used in the game of candle pins. However, the capacity of the storage portion of the magazine may be varied as desired without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

When a stall carrying a pin reaches the extreme right of the top run of the chains 113 the pin in that stall engages and actuates a toggle switch 121 and opens an electric circuit which operates the elevator motor 52, thereby stopping the motor. This stops the operation of the feed mechanism D and the magazine E, as well as then stopping the operation of the conveyor system B and the elevator C, all of which are driven by the elevator motor 52.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 9 and 13, the box F, which takes the pins from the magazine E and sets them up on the floor 14, comprises a bottom wall 122, the rear wall 120 and side walls 123. The forward end of the bottom wall 122 is made V-shaped to conform to the general outline of the pattern of pins to be set on the floor 14, but the shape is not critical. A facade 124 is placed around the V-shaped portion of the bottom wall 122, partially as ornamentation and partially to protect the structure inside the box from balls and pins that may bounce from the alley.

The box is mounted to slide vertically toward and away from the door l14 by guides 126 on the sides of the box which slidably engage posts 125 attached on the frame of the machine. The box is suspended on chains 127 and is partially counter-balanced by weights 135. The chains 127 are attached at one end to the weights and pass over sprockets 12S on a shaft 129, over sprockets 131) on a shaft 131 and their other ends are attached to the bottom 122 of the box at 132. The shafts 129 and 131 are journalled in the frame of the machine and the shaft 131 has another sprocket 133 attached on one end as part of the means by which the box is moved up and down through connections to a motor 134. Hereafter the motor 134 will be referred to as the box motor 134.

Looking at Figs. 3 and 14, the box motor 134 drives a crank arm 136 on the end of a shaft 137 through a chain 138 which passes around a sprocket `139 connected on the box motor and around a sprocket 140 on the shaft 137. One end of a chain 141 is attached to a. p0rtion of the frame of the machine at 142 and passes around a sprocket 143 on the end of a crank arm 136. As indicated at 144 the other end of the chain 141 is attached to the periphery of the sprocket 133, which is attached on the shaft 131. The chain 141 is thus in the form of a loop around the sprocket 143.

In Fig. 14 the parts are shown in their position when the box F is in its raised position. In this position the sprocket 143 holds the loop of the chain 141 drawn away from the sprocket 133. When the crank arm 136 is rotated from the position shown, the sprocket 143 is carried closer to the sprocket 133, and the length of the loop shortens, the chain being wound on the sprocket 133. The weight of the box F is heavier than the weight 135 and therefore urges the sprockets 136 and 133, which are on the shaft 131, to rotate in the direction of the arrow 146, but rotation of these sprockets 130 and 133 is controlled by the tension applied to the chain 141 by crank arm 136. A s the crank arm 136 is rotated from the position vShown in Fig. ,14 it Carries the `Sprocket 143 closer to the sprocket 133. This slackens the vchain 141 so that the weight of the box then operates to rotate the sprocket 133 as the slack is wound thereon by pulling the chains 127 over the sprockets 136. When the sprocket 143 on the crank arm is carried to the point in its path closest to the sprocket 133, the box F is at its lowest position. The circumference of the sprocket 133 andthe arrangement of the parts are such that the amount of slack in vthe chain 141 required to let the box down to its lowest position is wound on only a portion of the circumference of the sprockets 133. As the crank arm 136 carries the sprocket 143 away from the sprocket 133, the loop in the chain 141 is drawn out again and the chain is drawn off the sprocket 133. This reverses the direction of rotation of the sprockets 133 and 136 and raises the box F. The crank arm 136 is rotated in the same direction all the time and the box F is lowered and raised once during each complete cycle of the crank arm 136.

Looking at Figs. l, 3 and 16, the box motor 134 is started so as to move the box F down by a cam 161 on the shaft 21 of the sweeper A. As the sweeper is swung down the cam 161 closes a normally open micro-switch which closes an electric circuit which supplies current to the box motor. As the box moves down it closes another micro-switch 162 (normally open) on the frame of the machine at the rearward end of the box. The micro-switch 162 also closes the circuit which operates the box motor. The cam 161 only closes the microswitch 16! momentarily, but by the time it opens after the cam has moved far enough to release the microswitch 1611, the micro-switch 162 is closed by the box so that the box motor operates until the box has moved up again to the position in which it releases and opens the micro-switch 162.

Referring now to Figs. l, 13 and l5, vertically through the bottom wall 122 of the box F are holes 151B, which are large enough for pins to slide through when the pins are in vertical position. The bottom wall 122 is made quite thick in order that the walls of the holes 150 will be approximately as 1tong as one-fourth of the length of the pins 12. The reason for this is that during the operation of the box F, subsequently to be described, the pins drop vertically through the ho'ies onto the door 14 and the walls of the holes having this degree of length are better able to guide the pins Onto the floor and steady them in a verticai position in lwhich the pins will stand by themselves.

As indicated in Fig. 13, the holes 15S are arranged in the pattern in which the pins are to be arranged on the floor 14.

Vinside 'the box F chutes 151 extend from the openings in the back wall 12% to approximateiy the rearward edges of the holes 1543. One chute 151 is provided for each hole and at the upper ends the chutes are hinged to the back wall 12@ by hinges 152. The lower ends 154 of the chutes 151 are bent sharply down toward the bottom wall 122 and rollers, such as the rollers 153, may be provided under the lower ends to prevent them from banging against the bottom wall 122 and becoming damaged.

The chutes 151 are connected in groups by cross bars such as the cross bars 156 and 157 which are attached under the chutes. Under the cross bars is a frame 158 which is hinged to the back wall 126 by hinges 167. At the forward end of the frame 153 is tongue 159 with a chain connected at one end to the tongue and its other Vend is connected at 166 to a portion of the frame of the machine above the box F.

When the box Fis in raised position the chain 165 is loose so that the chutes 151 and the frame 153 rest on the bottom wall 122 of the box F. The length of the chain is made so as to be pulled tight a little before the box reaches lits lowest position. Thus, when the box mol/SS Yall-the way down to its lowest position, the chain 165 pulls up the frame A1.5.8, whichin turn lifts thellower ends of the chutes 151 off the bottom wall 122 of the box.

Looking at Fig. 9, the upper ends of the chutes 151 are open to the back of the back wall 120. As shown in the drawings, the upper ends of the chutes are at different levels. This arrangement enables the chutes -to be directed to the respective holes in a straight line.

The upper end of each one of the chutes is in a vertical line with one of the stalls 117 of the magazine E and, as the box is moved down, the upper ends of the chutes move down past the stalls 117. The pins in the stalls normally rest against the back wall 120 of the box and as the openings into the chutes move down into line with the pins, the pins slide down the chutes.

At the time pins 12 from the stalls 117 enter the chutes 151, the lower ends of the chutes are close to the l bottom wall 122 adjacent the rearward edges of the holes 150. Extending up from the forward edges of the holes 150 are back stops 155 and the pins slide down the chutes until their bottom ends come to rest against these back stops, as indicated in Fig. 15. In this position the lower ends of the pins are angularly across the holes 150 with the upper ends of the pins supported on the chutes 151. Then, as the box moves down from the magazine E toward its lowest position, indicated at F in Fig. 1 the lower ends of the chutes are raised from the floor by the operation of the chain 165. The lower ends of the pins being against the back stops 155, the upward movement of the chutes tilts the pin up toward a vertical position. The downwardly directed ends 154 of the chutescome to bear against the pins as they approach vertical position, and serve to raise the pins far enough toward vertical position for their weight to cause them to slide down through the holes and come to rest on the Hoor 14 in vertical position. The walls of the holes guide the pins and steady them as they settle in position on the floor 14. Then the box F moves up again leaving the pins standing in position.

The sequence of operation of the machine and actuating means therefor will be best understood by looking at Fig. 16, in which the actuating means previously described are indicated schematically in their arrangement in four electrical circuits in the machine. The electric current to operate the machine from a source (not shown) is conducted to the electric circuits of the machine through a master switch such as a double pole switch indicated at 168.

rA first circuit includes the normally open push button 40, the electro-magnet 38 of the solenoid valve 29 and the toggle switch 121 which is normally open as to this circuit and closed by the end bowling pin in the magazine E. The toggle switch 121 is alsol connected and normally closed in a fourth circuit which will be described in proper order.

A second circuit includes the box motor 134, the normally open micro-switch 160 actuated by the cam 161 of the sweeper A, and the normally open micro-switch 162 which is on the frame of the machine and actuated by movement of the boxF.. The microLswitches 160 and 162 are connected in parallel so that each operates to close the circuit which operates the box motor 134.

A third circuit includes the electro-magnet 39 of the solenoid valve 29 and the normally open micro-switch 44 which is closed by the cam 43 of the sweeper A.

The fourth circuit of the machine includes the elevator motor 52, a normally closed micro-switch 163 (Fig. 9) which is on the frame vof the machine to be operated by the movement of the box F, and the toggle switch 121 which is normally closed in this circuit and is opened by the end bowling pin in the magazine E when the magazine is full. v

4The toggle switch 121 is normally open in the first circuit.

The toggle switch 121 thus being connected in the first and fourth circuits, they cannot both be closed at the same time. This prevents damage to the machine if the starting push button 40 is pressed after the machine has already been started.

When the box F moves down toward the floor 14 and the pins in the magazine slide out of the magazine into the box the toggle switch 121 is released and opens the first circuit which stays open until the magazine is filled again by the operation of the elevator, so that the elevator cannot operate to fill the magazine until the box has returned up. In this way the first circuit which starts the operation of the sweeper A is kept open from the time the box F empties the magazine until the box has moved down toward the floor and up again. Therefore pressing the push button 40 during this time cannot start the sweeper and the possibility of the sweeper being swung down and colliding with the box when the box is close to the licor is prevented.

At the start of a cycle of operation'of the machine the magazine is full and the end pin in the magazine holds the toggle switch 121closed in the circuit which includes the push button 40 and electro-magnet 38 of the solenoid valve 29. The machine is started by pushing the button 40 which closes it momentarily and actuates the electro-magnet 38 of the solenoid valve 29 so that the sweeper A is swung down.

When the sweeper reaches its lowest position the cam 43 on the shaft 21 of the sweeper momentarily closes the micro-switch 44 which actuates the electro-magnet 39 of the valve 29 and causes the sweeper to return up again.

On the downward movement of the sweeper the cam 161 on the shaft 21 closes the micro-switch 160 which closes the box motor circuit so that thebox motor 134 starts to move the box F down. The cam 161 holds the micro-switch 16@ closed long enough for the box to move down and close the micro-switch 162. Therefore, during the cycle of operation of the machine the microswitch 160, which is in parallel with the micro-switch 162, remains open, and the micro-switch 162 is held closed by the box and holds closed the electric circuit which operates the box motor 134 while the box moves down and then up. When the box reaches its upward position again the micro-switch 162 is released and opens t0 shut olf the box motor 134.

At the time the boxy F starts to move down the magazine E is full and the end pin in the magazine is holding the toggle switch 121 in the position in which it opens the fourth electric circuit which operates the elevator motor 52. The normally closed micro-switch 163 in the same circuit is closed when the box is in its upward position and is opened and held open by the box as the box moves down and up again.

When the box moves down it takes the pins from the magazine. With magazine empty the toggle switch y121 springs back to the position in which it closes the portion of the electric circuit of the elevator motor 52 connected through it, but at this time the box is in motion so that the micro-switch 163 is holding the circuit open. Thus the elevator cannot operate while the box is in motion so that no pins are fed tothe magazine until the box is up in position to hold the pins in the magazine as they are fed in.

When the box returns to its upward position the microswitch 163 closes and the elevator motor 52 operates until the magazine is filled so that the end pin moves the toggle switch 121 to open the circuit and shutoi the elevator motor. This completes the cycle of operation of the machine.

It will be noted from the above description that eachv operation in the sequence automatically initiates the successive operation.

In practice when the machine is used for the game of candle pins in which ten pins are set up on the alley, more than ten, but less than twenty pins are used. Nineteen pins work well.

agar-7,309

'.l1` When'` a' frame is ready to be played ten pins are in position` on the tloor 14 of the alley and the excess over. ten are in the magazine E or on their way to the magazine. The excess number of pins is less than ten, the

kmagazine is only partially filled and toggle switch 121 is closed in the fourth circuit which operates the elevator motor 52. Thus the elevator C and the conveyor system B, including the conveyor belts 27, in the gutters' 15, are operated until a pin is knocked from the floor 14 and carried up to fill the magazine and thereby actuate the toggle switch 121 to shut oi the elevator motor 52.

ln this way the pins and balls which have been knocked into the gutters after each ball is thrown are removed as required by the rules of the game of candle pins. When nine extra pins are used it only requires one pin from the iioor 14 to ll the magazine and stop the conveyor but it has been observed that most players playing at average speed will have thrown all three balls by the timeV a pin knocked into the `gutter by the rst ball has reached the magazine and caused the conveyors 27 to stop.

Byusing extra pins in this way the speed with which the magazine is filled ready to set up pins for a new frame is4 increased.

It will be appreciated that the above description is of a. preferred embodiment of the machine of the present invention and that certain variations and modifications of the structure and sequence of operation may be made forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for setting bowling pins upright on a door and in combination7 an elevator for carrying bowling balls and bowling pins which are longer lthan the diameter of the balls, said machine including means for transferring the pins and balls from the floor onto the elevator, said elevator comprising in combination, web means having holes therein which are wider than the diameter of a ball and longer than the lengthl of a pin, means supporting the web means in a path including an upward run, a wall adjacent the upward run, means for moving the web means up the upward run, said pins and balls being carried by said elevator by being received in said holes and resting against said wall so as to be carried along with said web means, resilient means adjacent the upward run of the web means at an opposite side of the upward run from said wall thereby to formV a pair of supporting walls suiciently close to support pins in vertical position and between which balls and pins are carried by the web means, said resilient means being urged toward the web means and bearing against the balls and pins carried by the web means, one of said supporting walls having an opening therein, the vertical diameter of said' opening being'more than the diameter of a ball, and less than the length of a pin, said web means being spaced apart from the wall having said opening by an amount greater than the radius of a ball whereby a ball carried up to said opening by said web means is overbalanced to fall out through the opening, and means for removing the pinsA from the holes in the web means.

2. A machine according to claim l in which said means for removing the pins from the holes in the web means comprises, a support for an end of a pin, said support being spaced above the top of said upward run a distance less than. the length of a pin and in position for the. upward end of a pin to engage and be supported by said support when a pin is carried to the top of the upward run, means for holding the lower end of a pin in one of said holes in the web means until its upward end engages said support, and spring means engaging a pin when its upper end engages said support and operating to push the lower end' of the-pinv from the hole in the web'Y combination, an endless conveyor having a portion extending upwardly from the pit of the bowling alley, said conveyor including a pair of ilexible elements and a plu-` rality of cross bars secured between the flexible elements forming pockets at spaced intervals and each capable of supporting a ball or a pin, adjacent cross bars being spaced a distance greater than the length of a pin so that the pins are supported with their axes parallel to said conveyor portion; and a pair of walls on opposite sides of and parallel to the iiexible members, said walls and exible elements being spaced to confine pins and balls in the pockets between the cross bars, one of said walls comprising a series of vertically spaced resilient members adapted to bear on the pins and balls supported in said pockets and urge them toward the opposite wall, two of said members being spaced a distance greater than the diameter of a ball but less than the length of a pin, to provide an opening for discharging the balls from saidv pocketsV 4; In the combination as set forth. in claimr3, thedisf tance between the wall having said opening and said Hex'- ible. elements being greater. than the. distance between the opposite wallV and said ilexible elements, and the latter distance being? less than the radius ofi a ball,.whereby the` balls are supported unbalanced on said cross bars.l

5. InV the combination as set forth in claim 3, meansj above said opening to receive the pins romithe conveyor.

6. n'a bowling pin setting machine, means to raise and deliver the pins and the balls at separate points comprising, in combinatioma pair of endless ilexible conveyor elements operatingl in spaced parallel relationship having portions extending horizontally adjacent the pit of the bowling alley andi upwardly from the pit, the distance between said conveyor elements being greater than the diameter ofa ball and smaller than the length of a pin, a plurality of cross bars secured between the conveyor elements. forming pockets lat spaced intervals greaterl than the length of a pin and each capable of supporting either a ball or a pin, a first wall extending parallel to and on one side of said conveyor element portions and a series of inwardly biased outwardly resilient pin and ball retaining members forming a second wall extending parallel to and on the opposite side of the upwardly extending portions' of said conveyor elements and operable to confine the pinsrand balls against said-first wall between the' conveyor elements, and an opening in one of said walls, said opening being larger than a ball and smaller than the length of a pin, said parts being arranged to expel the balls through said opening while retainng the pins in the pocketsA until they reach a point above said opening.

7. In the combination as set forth in claim 6, conveyor means for collecting the pins and the balls and moving them into said pockets.

ReferencesfCited in the tile of'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,190,648 Hedenskoog July 11, 1916 2,310,218 Davis Feb. 9, 1943 2,341,475 Parra et al. Feb; 8, 19,44 2,389,643 Schmidt Nov. 27, 1945.- 2,5l8,457 Eretter Aug. 15, 1950 2,622,879 Frye Dec. 23, 1952 625,397 Frye Ian. 13, 1953 2,686,053 l Phillips Aug. 10, 1954 2,739,813 Dowd et al. Mar. 27, 1956 

